Silent Hill: Foreigners
by Mr. Bates
Summary: A mysterious businesswoman has been beckoned to Silent Hill. For which purpose did the dark locale call on to her? Only fate will decide. After all, it's a dog eat dog world...
1. Warning

_Here we go! This is my first story on this site. In fact, it's the first fanfic I've ever written, and one of my first literary experiments, period. This story is not directly based on the other games of the Silent Hill series; it's more of a fictional new installment, featuring a cast of original characters and original enemies. From now on, I'll update this on a regular basis (at least once per week, more if my schedule permits me to do so). I would greatly appreciate some feedback. Thanks in advance._

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Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 1 : Warning

A thick fog had set in on the quiet streets of Brahms. And along spread a feeling of uneasiness among the populace. The locals were a superstitious bunch : at times like these, they were wary of going outdoors, which made the place look like an honest-to-goodness ghost town. Even the shopping district was mostly vacant, with scarce vehicular traffic and even scarcer pedestrians going about. The shops were closed, the lights were off…all in all, it was a decidedly grim sight.

As if to dispell the ominous atmosphere, a bright red convertible Camaro came crossing down the foggy road, headlights flaring high. The radio was on a local station, blasting Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire through the air. On the driver's seat sat a curious looking young woman. Early twenties. Thin and petite of build. She had an oval face with well-defined features. Her head was framed by long, wavy black hair that hung down loosely on her shoulders and cascaded down her back. She wore mauve lipstick on her small lips. Somewhat prominent cheekbones, pointy chin, long roman nose, pencil thin eyebrows, and a pair of large, piercing blue eyes. She was wearing business apparel : a white shirt underneat a corporate black suit. A knee-lenght black skirt completed the outfit. Her legs sported dark pantyhose and high-heeled shoes. She sat back in a nonchalant posture as she manned the car through the mist. With one hand still on the wheel, she reached out to take a pack of cigarettes. She put one in her mouth, then lighted it. On the side of the road, an old man turned around as her car passed by, only nodding his head.

The Camaro arrived at a gas station. Checking the dash, the girl realized she was running low on fuel, so she pulled over. Stopping by the pumps, she got out, took the handle and started filling up her tank. As the counter was rising, her mind drifted.

As the girl entered the small convenience store, she was immediatly met by the gaze of the station clerk. A short, middle-aged man wearing a cap and a huge black mustache. Eyeing her up, he gave a sly grin. She responded by putting on her most convincing fake smile, then walked up to him.

- "Twenty dollars' worth." she said matter-of-factly.

She spoke with a thick foreign accent. Probably East European or Russian, the clerk guessed. She was most definitely a foreigner, but she didn't express herself in the broken and hesitant tone that caracterized recent immigrants. He raised his eyebrow. Not awaiting any answer, the girl handed him two ten dollar bills. The man kept staring at her as he put the cash in the register, still not knowing what to make of the young stranger. Biting her lip, she risked another question.

- "Silent Hill is only a few miles away from here, right?"

The clerked jumped as soon as he heard the name of the neighbouring town. He looked at her as if she'd lost her mind.

- "You goin' there?" he asked, visibly worried.

- "Yes. Is there a problem?" she answered, somewhat annoyed.

- "Pardon me, miss, I know it's none of my business, but…it's just that…well…" he muttered, trying to find his words. "Why would you want to go there in the first place?"

- "Professional interests." she replied.

The man said nothing. He just continued staring at her with eyes open wide. The young woman grew even more annoyed, but did her best not to let it show.

- "Just searching for new potential clients. You know, small cities with lots of urban development. I'm a real estate agent." she added, suddenly becoming more talkative, as if hoping to make the conversation seem a bit less weird than it actually was.

- "Real estate? At Silent Hill?" he asked, incredulous.

- "Indeed. Why that expression on your face? Is something wrong?"

- "Miss, have you never heard...what they say about Silent Hill? That place is bad news…"

- "Bad news? What do you mean?" she inquired.

- "That town is just…weird. As of late, lots of spooky stuff has been happening around this neck of the woods. Someone I used to know once went in there and...ah, no, you wouldn't even believe me if I told you. You'd call me crazy. Not that Silent Hill ever had much of a good reputation to begin with…it has a long history of evil and violence. Nothing good ever came out of there. Here in Brahms, lots of us folks believe that place is cursed." he explained.

- "I'm not too big on ghost stories. I don't believe in that stuff." she cut him off.

- "It's no myth, trust me. There's something just…profoundly wrong about Silent Hill. That town is messed up. Always been, always will be. Avoid it like the plague."

- "If you say so. Have a nice day!" she replied, giving an ironic smile.

The girl had no intention of listening to him. Before he could say anything, she turned around and walked back to the door, the sound of her heels clicking against the concrete floor. As she entered her car and started the engine, the clerk kept looking at her through the windows, wondering.


	2. Contemplation

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 2 : Contemplation

The Camaro was speeding down an empty cliffside highway. The fog was growing increasingly thicker around this area, to the point where one could barely see beyond a couple of metres away. The precipice bordering the road resembled an endless, bottomless sea of haze.

Despite the surreal surroundings, the driver's mind was mostly focused on her unpleasant encounter with the gas station clerk. "What a weirdo!" she thought. "Must be one of those conspiracy theory dudes. The kind who looks for brain control devices in his cereals. Sheesh, I just told him one question and he went all nosy on me! Can't people just mind their own goddamn business anymore?" She hated that kind of attitude, especially from men. She sighed.

On the side of the road, she passed by a huge, timeworn rectangular sign on which was written, in bold letters : "Welcome to Silent Hill". Two broken lamps were hanging above the inscription, sheding light on nothing but just how old the structure actually was. "This must be the place." the woman concluded. After a few curves, the road continued on a downward incline, until it reached back ground level. Up ahead in the distance, she soon saw the first few buildings of the town reveal their silhouettes.

The car passed under a bridge, which likely supported another perpendicular highway. Passing through the vast tunnel of columns and concrete, she finally found herself in the streets of Silent Hill. The fog was not letting up and made it difficult to get a clear view. The Camaro slowed down. Looking on her right, the young woman saw an old wharehouse, doors and windows barred with wooden planks. On her left, the heavy mist made the vision painfully blurry. Rubbing her eyes, she distinguished a narrow grass terrain filled with sporadic trees. Right behind stood a series of small houses, all lined up next to each other. They were packed like sardines in a box, with practically no space between the buildings, making them look more like a long brick wall than a residential sector. According to the street signs, she was currently on Midwich street. Looking through the deep fog, the girl perceived no one strolling down the sidewalk, no car circulating, no noise in the distance…nary a sign of life at all. She felt truly alone. "Not the most friendly-looking place out there, that's for sure. Great, just great. This is even worse than the last one. Why do all towns look like freaking graveyards around this joint?".

The buildings on her right soon gave way for an open natural area. A forest, or possibly a park, she couldn't clearly determine which one. On her left, she spotted a smaller street hosting a series of shops. She decided to turn in that direction. As she drove through the avenue, she couldn't help but notice the rustic flair of the buildings surrounding her. There was a pastry shop whose facade was shaped in the form of a stone arch, giving it a very antique appearance. On its side was a souvenir boutique which looked positively Victorian in architecture, like a sight right out of an Agatha Christie novel. As gloomy as the place was, Silent Hill was not without its charms.

The car kept going, passing by assorted shops and run-down buildings with still no sign of life. Suddenly, the driver saw the outline of a church emerging from the fog. Without knowing why, she hit the brakes. She just stayed there for a moment, staring at the construction. It was a rather small church, nothing too impressive; it stood on the corner of a street, not even owning it's own terrain or parking lot. The front side revealed a few windows, all covered in iron bars like a prison cell. Below was a large set of wooden doors; on each side, an inscription which said "Balkan Church".

"Why would I want to go there? I don't believe in God." the girl thought to herself. Still, for some reason, deep down she felt the need to visit that place. It had been forever since the last time she entered a church. Why now of all moments? Lost in thoughs, she took another cigarette and reached out for her lighter. As she was inhaling the smoke, her mind began enumerating all the reasons for her not to go there. Yet, against her better judgment, she pulled over to the side of the road and killed the engine. Stepping out of the roofless car, she climbed the steps and headed for the doors.

The church seemed bigger on the inside than on the outside. The decoration was modest, but this modesty only contributed to the peaceful, relaxing ambiance that reigned there. Even though the weather was foggy and the windows small, bright sunlight still permeated the interior of the church. The grey stone walls were adorned with candlestands and paintings showing scenes from the holy bible. The woman walked down the alley and sat on one of the simple wooden benches. She looked around, just revelling in the atmosphere. This place made her feel safe. This place made her think of…home.

Her mind suddenly ran thick with nostalgia. She remembered her childhood days. Back home, she used to go to church all the time. It used to make her feel warm and safe, just like she currently felt. She used to pray all the time, with God's gentle presence to protect her…

The woman raised her head and stared at the crucifix on the back of the church. God. How could she have been so gullible? God hadn't been there when her world came crumbling down. God hadn't protected her from the fear, the pain, the guilt…God wasn't there when she needed him the most. God was a lie. She didn't believe in God anymore. And she didn't believe in love.

The young woman suddenly stood up, disgusted. "Why did I come in here?" she asked herself. She thought she would find solace in that place, but in the end, she only found regret and painful memories. She hurried back, pushing the large doors open to breathe outside.


	3. Noise

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 3 : Noise

She was back in the misty air now, her spine resting against the cold facade of the temple. The wind blew her long black hair across her face.

- "This place is terrible." she declared to herself.

She was feeling down. She needed to cool off, to send her mind away from the worries. Something to let off some steam. She figured she should just take a walk around. Get to know the town a bit better, and maybe meet someone. "Now's as good a time as any to discover what a Silent Hillian looks like." she concluded. "After all, I don't have much of a choice. I'll be staying here for quite a while, so I'll run into these folks one day or another. Might as well get to know them now."

She stepped away from the church and into the murk. While her eyes could barely perceive her immediate surroundings, the distant sound of a car accelerating echoed up to her hears. She headed north to find its origin. Wading through the blur, the woman blinked her eyes and did her best to grasp the outline of what lied before her. As she strolled down the sidewalks, she noticed that all the shops were empty. She saw no one through the glass, nothing but obscurity and bleak emptiness.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of chatter coming from nearby. A male voice was talking in a cheerful tone, while a female voice kept laughing all along, as if he was relating her the funniest joke in the world. The young businesswoman couldn't clearly decipher the words being spoken, but there was no doubt than those were human voices. She walked in direction of the chatter. Even as she advanced, she didn't spot anything through the fog. The chattering voices were becoming more and more distant, as if the two individuals were going away. She increased the pace of her footsteps. Up ahead, the male voice kept blabering enthousiastically, and the female one was chuckling still, as if she would never ever stop. Then all of a sudden, like a tape recorder running out of batteries, the chatter faded away.

The woman stopped dead in her tracks, dumbfounded. She saw no one walking ahead of her. She hadn't met anyone on her way here. All that stood around was fog, dirty asphalt and yet more empty shops. Alone. Absolutely alone.

The sound of an engine then roared away, not too far from where she stood. Before she knew it, she found herself running in that direction, eager to meet someone, eager to prove that nothing strange was happening. She was now in one of those crammed-togheter residential avenues. As she ran over the grassy terrain, a procession of small houses was scrolling away on her right. Homes of all colors and all shapes, every bit as dark and deserted as the rest of the town was. Yet the car engine sound was becoming louder and louder. As if to encourage her further, the sound of many human voices began resonating in the distance, voices of people she had yet to see. Although her high-heeled shoes were making it a hassle, she kept running…and running…and running still.

She was hunched forward, out of breath. The noises of cars and people had completely disappeared. She couldn't stand running any longer. She had nowhere to run.

Then she heard a loud creaking noise, making her jump. She turned around to see that the door of a nearby house had just been opened.


	4. Sirens

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 4 : Sirens

The house was cozy. Deceptively cozy. Green wallpaper covered the apartment-sized residence. A flower pot lying on the side of the corridor. Brown carpet on the floor. A pair of boots. A stained glass lamp on the ceiling. A couple of paintings, probably from local artists, showing seaside landscapes. A buffet. Letters piled up. Family photos. Just beyond, the dining room. A set of four plates on the table. Food…still warm. A well-used sofa. A cathodic TV, its antennas sitting in an awkward angle. Behind the counter, a kitchen. An open fridge. Memos pinned down by magnets. A calendar on the wall. The sink full of water and unwashed dishes.

And yet no one around. Empty. Dead.

The woman knew she was barging here uninvited, but curiosity got the best out of her. She observed her surroundings, then observed herself. Her running around had left her in a mess. She took time to adjust her shoes, unruffle her skirt, straighten her black suit. As she was pulling back her hair, she felt a cold breeze hit her cheeks. She noticed that the patio door had also been opened.

Behind the house was a small terrace. An area of grass and ceramic tiles, bordered by a wood fence. At its center was a round plastic table, circled by similar chairs. Resting on it was a sharp-looking meat cleaver, grease glistening on its side. There was a propane barbecue grill right next to the table, cover open but lacking any content. A kid's bike was lying on the ground, wheels still turning, as if the rider had left just seconds ago.

Beyond the fence, in the backyard of the neighbor's house, a nude female figure was standing up, its back facing the black-clad woman. It stood idle, motionless, arms hanging on its side, like a statue of flesh and bones. It had a tall stature, taller than an average person should be. Its skin was a greyish tint, with an almost transparent quality. It beared a wrinkled, loose texture, especially on the arms and legs, which were skinny. Its head was round in form and rested upon a tiny neck. The body was shaped like an hourglass : altough it had a normal-sized abdomen, the waist was impossibly narrow, a compacted canal which led to a set of large hips. Its hair was an unruly, tangled black mop. It looked unclean, filled with dirt and…seaweed?

Ignoring the terror she felt, the woman in black tried to attract its attention.

- "Ahem."

No response. No reaction.

- "Excuse me, ma'am…" she said in her foreign-accented voice.

The figure didn't answer. It still faced away from her, paying no attention to her words. It began moving its arms around a bit, contracting its long fingers. It slightly tilted its head to the side. Her heart racing, the young woman grew impatient and shouted.

- "Hey!"

The figure started balancing its hips. It moved its head sideways, as if stretching its neck. Then slowly, very slowly, it began to turn around. An grotesque sight was being unveiled.

The creature had no facial features. In place of eyes, it only had two jagged holes, reaching far into its skull. In the middle stood the shape of a nose, but its nostrils were nothing but knife cuts, the skin opened wide. Where the mouth should have been resided a gaping crevice. A chunk of meat that had been sliced away, strands of flesh hanging down its sides, leaving it with nothing but a black cavity, as if to scream forever.

The creature couldn't move its mouth for it had none, yet it was emitting noises…human voices. The voice of a man speaking enthousiastically, and of a woman laughing all the while. A parody of human voices. Though the timbre and flow resembled that of man, no actual words were being spoken; only a rythmic stream of gibberish. And the laughter was an howl that kept repeating itself in the most sinister of ways. With its head still facing the woman, always staring at her with its non-existant eyes, it began walking away to the right. It moved in an over-exaggerated tiptoeing motion, raising its knees high with each step, yet travelling unnaturally fast. Reaching the end of the backyard, it opened the door in the fence and walked into the back alley, behind dumpsters and garage doors, out of the woman's sight.

She sat there a long time, just staring into the empty backyard, into the distance. Her body wouldn't move. Her eyes wouldn't move. Her mind wouldn't move. She felt nothing. Like she was disconnected. Like her nerves were dead. Like her heart had stopped beating. Like there was nothing to worry about. Like she was somewhere else. Like she wasn't really there. Like this wasn't happening to her. Like this was just a movie. A dream. A nightmare.

And then she let out a bloodcurling scream…

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An undetermined amount of time passed before she came back to her senses. She was underneat the patio table, rolled up in a fetal position. She had instinctively crawled under there when her mind blacked out, like a child pulling the covers over his face. She was scared. So scared. Terror coursed through her whole being. Yet the logical part of her mind surfaced, just long enough for her to understand that she wasn't safer when hiding under there. Quite the contrary.

Letting out little yelps of fear, she crawled back out and back up. Her eyes were fixed on the end of the terrace, on the door in the fence, leading to the back alley. The monster had gone in the back alley. And now it would come for her.

She kept staring at the gates, awating the creature to enter at any moment. Complete silence reigned. No whisper. No footsteps. Only the sound of her heartbeat.

She kept waiting, eyes open wide. She expected the mutilated face to appear anytime now. To see its deformed grin strolling in through the dumpsters, entering her field her vision. Or to see it opening the fence door and lunging at her in one quick motion. She waited…but nothing happened.

A dark thought suddenly invaded her brain. Perhaps the monster had come back in one of the neighboring backyards, and had climbed over the fence to take her by surprise…anxiety taking over her mind, preparing for the worst, she slowly turned her head to the left. An empty yard. Just a few chairs and a shovel lying on the ground. Quickly, she turned to her right. A small garden. Flowers and a tree up in the corner. No sign of the creature.

She put her eyes back on the fence gate in front of her. She kept her hears peeled, searching for even the slightest sound. There was none. Just silence.

She began to calm down. Maybe the creature had gone away? Fled to another place? Or maybe it had just been her imagination? After all, such an horror didn't exist. It couldn't possibly exist. Maybe she had been dreaming? That would explain why it felt so unreal, so unnatural. That would explain why she had felt so detached. "Yes, that must be it!" she thought. A sparkle of hope shining up through her soul, she turned back toward the house, relieved.

The thing was standing right in front of her. It had been waiting for her. It was coming at her in that horrible tiptoeing motion, its arms outstretched. Before she could even scream, its massive hands went around her neck. It had a powerful grip, nearly lifting her off the ground. The hands squeezed her throat, strangling her. She looked at its dreadful face, at those empty black holes all over. The creature smelled of rotten fish. She felt nauseating, but the pressure on her neck kept her from throwing up. A sound came from the thing's jagged mouth…not a human voice, but rather the sound of a car accelerating.

The woman was paralysed in fear. As her life was being squeezed away, she closed her eyes. It was black. She couldn't think of anything. She didn't feel the pain anymore. Her conciousness was beginning to slip away. And then she heard her a voice speak inside her mind. Her inner self.

- "You must live…kill or be killed…kill."

Suddenly, her eyes flashed open. Her nerves were on fire. Desperation was exploding through her veins.

The creature still had its hands around her neck, trying to kill her. Channeling the very bottom of her energy, her last resort, she kicked and punched at the thing with all the effort she could muster. For the most part, it remained unaffected, the hits only sending ripples through its loose skin. Yet she fought with such passion that the monster slightly lost its grip, allowing her to breathe a little. Her lifeforce flowing back, she used this delay to reach back behind her, for something to grab. She found the table. She remembered. There was a meat cleaver on the table. Reaching back a bit more, her hand made contact with the handle. Then, in one motion, she swinged the blade as hard as she could towards the creature's arms.

An horrible sound ripped through the air. She had sliced off both of its arms. The cleaver had waded through the thing's flesh like a hot knife through butter, as if the creature barely had any bone in its body. The grip stopped dead as the hands fell down on ceramic tiles. The monster stood idle, its face unable to express pain or emotion. It just let out some noise again, a pathetic, meaningless replica of human speech. Regaining her breath, the woman in black screamed aloud, in a mix of terror and anger. She lunged at the beast, sweping the cleaver madly at every member she could find. She didn't even know where she was hitting anymore. She didn't care. Blood was spurting all over the grass.

The creature fell down to the floor, dead. The young woman progressively regained her senses. She breathed slowly, letting the oxygen fill up her lungs. She stared down at the monster's body. In her frenzy, she had severed its head and turned it into a mauled carcass. She had to look away.

Her respiration still troubled, she turned back and resumed walking to the patio door. She quickly traversed the interior of the house, not even daring to look back. Opening the front door, she stopped dead in her tracks. She saw something through the fog. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Half a dozen of silhouettes were tiptoeing in the mist. As if they had always been here from the start. Then sounds made their way from the haze. Car noises, footsteps, babies crying, people chatting, people laughing, people screaming…all merging in the most abominable of symphonies.


	5. Run

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 5 : Run

Her heels were hammering the asphalt. Her feet moved so fast she was barely touching the ground. Every breath seemed painful. She still had the meat cleaver in her hand. The cold steel was now coated with warm blood. Before her, only blur. Indefinite contours. The vague shapes of walls, mailboxes, trees, garbage bags…every shadow was threatening. Every shadow could be those things.

She never looked back. Her mind was nailed forward. She felt so aware, so alive. All her senses were focused on the race. Those things were right behind. Tailing her. She didn't see them, she didn't hear them – she sensed them. Her brain was running marathon. She had to remember. She glanced over the buildings. The colors, the sizes, the forms…anything. She had to find a landmark. A reference for her memory, to find her way back to her car. Back to somewhere else. Back to normality.

The woman recognised a familiar sight. A coffee shop she had glimpsed when she was seeking the sounds. She was on the right direction. Just a little more. In her hurry, she almost bumped into a street lamp. It went hurling like a cannonball just a few inches away from her shoulder. She couldn't afford to feel relieved. Arriving at the next intersection, she abruptly turned to her right, hoping to catch her pursuers off guard. She had long since run out of breath, but the movement of her legs had become an automatism. They were moving of their own accord. Erected next to her were the shutters of a closed market. Long slides of rusty metal. The building itself looked damaged, its bricks full of scars and cracks. She was almost at the Balkan Church. Just a little more…

In front of her, the road suddenly disappeared from the horizon. At first, the woman thought the fog was just incredibly thick around this area, putting up a barrier to her vision. She kept running. Still no ground appeared further ahead. As if the road stopped once and for all. Then she saw the fissures. Fissures near the end of the street. Fissures in the building next to her, which had been cut in half. What lied ahead was not fog. It was a canyon.

Screaming aloud, she stopped cold before it was too late. She lost grip on the meat cleaver. It almost landed on her feet. She tripped and fell face first towards the ground, right next to the edge of the precipice. She was aching all over. Quickly, she tried to get up, fear numbing her mind. She looked over to the canyon. The street and everything on it – including the Balkan Church and her car – had fell down a gigantic pit. As if an earthquake had crumbled the entire corner, buildings included, and let it fall down to the center of the earth. The bottom of the hole was out of view, shrouded in mist. As if it was bottomless. "No, this can't be real! This can't be happening!" the woman thought. Her only mean of escape, her salvation, her vehicule…had faded into nothingness. She was trapped. Doomed.

Closing her eyes, trembling from apprehension, she slowly turned around. Her pursuers, those things…they would surely catch her any second now. Were they right there, walking in their disgusting way, arms outstretched? She pictured them in her mind. She felt them. She sensed their presence, so near. And then she opened her eyes and saw…nothing?

She was alone. No one was near. No figure coming out of the fog. Just an empty road. Had she lost them?

There was no time to waste. Blessing her luck, she picked up the meat cleaver. It left a pool of hemoglobine on the asphalt. After making sure the way was clear, started to run again. She would find another way. She would bail out of this hellish place by foot. Or by swimming. Or by spelunking if she must. She would not give up. She had entered to this town as a mean of escape; now she would escape the town by any mean.

She had to make haste before the creatures found her again. Currently, the woman was dashing on Bloch Street. If she kept travelling directly west, she would end up on Midwich Street – the road leading to the highway, the escape route. It was still a long way, but she felt she could make it. Adrenaline pumping, she sprinted down the sidewalk, her eyes scanning ahead. No sign of the monsters. She passed by a shoe repair store, then by a chainsaw shop. Its window was broken, the display items nowhere to be found, as if a burglar had strolled by to make a quick buck. She arrived at an intersection. Another one of those residential avenues. How she hated them. She continued west. Still no sign of the monsters.

"Wait…something's strange." she concluded. "When I left the house, there was six or seven of those things awaiting me right outside. They were everywhere. But now I'm striding the boulevards long and large and I've yet to bounce on any of those horrors. Something's not right. Come to think of it, I didn't meet any when I first drove there, either…" Indeed, the streets were looking as empty as ever, almost peaceful. Did the monsters even chase after her in the first place? Had all the running away been…for nothing?

However, she couldn't risk to slow down. She couldn't bet her life on a mere possibility. Increasing her pace, the woman arrived at the end of Bloch Street, where it merged with Midwich. She could see the hedgerow and the forested area. She turned right. Just a little more…

Awaiting her was a grim sight. Midwich Street was broken up by an immense fissure. A crater similar to the previous one. It cut the residential sector in two, spanned the entire width of the road, and even sliced through the hedgerow and the terrain beyond, up to the horizon. In the middle of the road, right in front of the precipice, an old car was parked. The door to the front seat was gaping wide, as if the driver had stepped out just to hurl himself down the hole.

The young businesswoman walked up to edge. "What the hell is going on here? Is this town falling apart?" First her vehicule, then the whole escape route. If she still believed in God, she would think he hates her guts.

While she was busy looking down the crater, unaware, the trunk of the nearby car silently came open. Crouched inside was one of those disfigured creatures. It knew the time was right. It shifted a bit, moved in a sitting position. Slowly, without making the slightest noise, it hung its left leg down the edge of the trunk, letting it rest on the ground. Then the right leg. It lifted its buttocks off the car, standing upright. The creature was holding a switchblade in its long fingers. With its non-existant eyes, it turned over to look at the woman. She was still staring at the hole, her back turned to the monster. It had its chance. The thing pressed down the trigger of its knife. The blade sprang forward, shining upon the light that still penetrated the fog. The creature began to tiptoe toward the girl. Even though it was moving fast, its steps were not making any sound. It was now just behind her. The monster raised its hand forward, aiming the blade at the girl's throat…

Bang! A bullet went flying in the air, piercing the creature's chest. The woman jumped so hard she nearly fell off the cliff. She turned around, flabbergasted. The monster was wounded, blood dripping down its body. It stared at the gunslinger, radio static noises coming out of its non-mouth. Two more gunshots resounded. One missed its target; the other lodged itself firmly between the creature's non-eyes. It fell back to the ground. Aiming down his weapon, the gunslinger came up to speak to the woman.

- "Dude, are you OK?"


	6. Lost Boy

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 6 : Lost Boy

Her saviour was a man. No, not a man – a boy. A teenager. He couldn't be more than 16 or 17 years old. He had medium-length straight brown hair than stopped just above his shoulders, cut in a sort of layered fringe style. Some of it swept over his left eye, hiding it from view, but the right side of his face betrayed a glazed brown iris. He had arched eyebrows and a short straight nose that was perfectly centered in his visage. His skin was very pale, to the point where it looked unhealthy. Below similarly pale lips stood a pointy chin that was almost totally devoid of stubble. He had a lanky, unmuscular frame that even his baggy clothes failed to conceal. He wore a green t-shirt adorned with the logo of a Grunge Rock band, weathered camo pants and a pair of dirty work boots.

- "Wh…who are…" the woman in black whispered, obviously still in shock.

- "Save that for later! We need to go inside! Hurry!" he shouted.

He boldly took her by the hand, forcing her to follow him. The woman, confused and lost in the wake of the previous events, just let herself be led to destination without a protest. They ran together across Midwich Street. They passed by a yellow schoolbus parked on the side of the road. Crossing the pavement, they arrived at paved alley surrounded high hedgerows. They climbed up a few steps. The mist ahead unveiled the greyish facade of a building, and its large set of front doors.

The school's lobby was hardly more than a simple hallway. Its grey walls were adorned with maps and posters of all kinds. On each side was a cushioned bench. Upon entering, as the boy freed her from his grasp, the woman immediatly sat down on one of them. She was exhausted. And still very much in shock. The boy was standing up before her.

- "We should be OK now." he stated.

- "The doors…" the woman said in a weak voice, turning her head toward the entrance. "Those creatures…they will come…"

- "Nah, no chance in hell." the boy responded, smirking. "They're cowards. A bunch of goddamn wusses! They won't have the guts to come out in the open, especially since there's two of us here."

He walked back to the entrance, just standing up as he looked through the door's window.

- "Man, I can't believe it!" he continued. "Those fuglies are everywhere! They hide under cars, behind trees, on the roofs, atop street lamps, inside dumpsters…heck, even down manholes! Everywhere, I tell you! They're just chillin' around, waiting for you to pass by. They try to lure you in with noises. They mess with your head. And then when you've got your back turned, when you don't expect them, they sneak up to you and…BAM!" the boy exclaimed while hitting his fist with the palm of his hand, as if to illustrate his point further. "They go right for the throat!"

He turned back to look at the woman. She was still sitting on the bench. Her mouth was hanging open and her hazy, troubled stare was fixed on nothing in particular. Shock was evident on her face. She didn't say anything.

- "Dude, you sure you're alright?" the boy said, worried.

Progressively, the woman came out of her stupor. Her mind became clearer again. She gazed at her surroundings, feeling a bit confused. She looked at the young man who was staring at her. And then she came to a horrible realisation…

Her weakness. Her weakness was showing. Danger. She must hide her weakness.

All of a sudden, her face transformed. Fear was gone from her eyes, replaced with a serene and benevolant expression. Her mouth closed itself in a gentle smile. A fake smile. A smile that said "You're my friend!". Her poker face.

- "I'm fine." she calmly said, staring deep into his eyes.

He grinned. Kneeling down, he extended his hand toward her, offering a handshake. The woman decided to play the game. Their hands met, the skin fusing in a warm embrace.

- "I'm Sammy Russell. Nice to meet you." he told her. "You can call me Sam."

- "Ekaterina. Ekaterina Korovin. My pleasure."

- "Weird name. You a ruskie?" he asked her, not using the most impressive of tacts.

- "I'm American. Just like you." she responded, pretending to be offended by the previous comment.

- "Oh crap! Sorry! I didn't mean to sound so rude! I can be such a klutz sometimes. Hahaha!…". He looked apologetic.

- "Oh, it's nothing! I'm used to it, you know."

Without asking any kind of permission, Sam came up to sit next to her on the bench. He definitely seemed the extroverted type. Her mind did a inner grimace.

- "So, how did you end up here? Why did you come to this town?" he questioned her.

- "Professional interests." she answered, spreading the lie that had become de-rigueur in this kind of situation. "I'm a real estate agent."

- "Really? So you got trapped here because of your job? Dude, that must suck! Me, I just kinda wandered here for no particular reason. I mean, it's not like I had anywhere else to go…"

- "You wandered here? What, you mean by foot?" she asked, genuine curiosity peeking through the annoyance.

- "No, by hitch-hiking. Last guy dropped me at Silent Hill, so I figured I'd find a place to stay the night or something. Boy, was that ever the worst decision of my life."

- "What are you, a runaway kid?"

- "Yep, that's about it right. Mom and dad were always on my back. Dude, don't get me wrong – they didn't abuse me or beat me up or anything like that. They were just sorta…disappointed, I guess. Always disappointed in me. I didn't behave good enough, my grades weren't good enough, my friends weren't good enough…I wasn't good enough. Not in their eyes. I felt like I was a chore to them. Always lagging behind, making them ashamed of me. I was like a stain on the portrait. So I ran away." For some reason, the young man was very eager to confide in Ekaterina.

- "Y'know what?" he continued. "Life totally sucks sometimes. When I was younger, my parents were always so proud of me. I was just a dumb kiddo back then, and I guess they preferred me that way. They could keep saying that I was cute and show me to the neighboors, and then all the old ladies would touch my nose and say I'm adorable and innocent and all that crap. When they conceived me, I think what my parents really wanted was a baby, not a son. When I grew up, I was not so cute anymore, and sure as hell not so innocent anymore. I became different, too different I guess. I didn't behave like the baby they loved so much. So they kinda stopped loving me. It's hard growing up when you know you're bound to disappoint."

- "Yeah, I know the feeling." she lied.

The young man was going to add something, but he was cut off by a distant noise that made its way inside the school lobby. The sounds of a crowd chattering. Sounds coming from those creatures. That thought suddenly broke the charm that had taken over the small room. While they were discussing, the two individuals had been able to forget the horrible monsters that surrounded their hideout. Now, the presence of those things was back as strong as ever, annihilating the mood. For about ten seconds, nothing but silence reigned between the two strangers. Uneasy silence.

- "So, got any clue about what happened to this town? What are those creatures?" she finally said, putting on her smiley face again, in spite of the fear.

- "Beats me. I didn't think such a place could even exist."

- "Seems like you've been here for longer than me. Are we really trapped? There's no way out?"

- "Well, it's not like I've explored the entire town yet, but so far, dead ends is all I found."

Suddenly, a curious idea sprang to Ekaterina's head. She looked behind her and saw the maps that were pinned on the wall. One of them depicted an area known as "Old Silent Hill", where the Midwich Elementary School was located. This was the map of their current position. She took it off and put it on her knees. From the pockets of her business suit, she pulled out a fountain pen.

- "Dude, what the hell are you doing?" Sam asked her.

- "A tactical plan." she stated, smirking.

- "What, for real?"

- "Of course. Organization is the first step to survival. Now, Sam, what I'm asking you is an excruciatingly important matter. Do you remember which parts of the town you've explored, and the location of the ravines you've come across?"

- "Yeah, I have a neat memory for that kind of things. Huh, let me see…there's a huge hole on the junction of Bradbury and Levin Street. Pretty much ALL of Midwich Street is a huge crater, except the part we're on, of course. So that's a no-no. There's another one about midway down the first block of Bachman Road. The tunnel at the top of Bachman Road is also a no-no, it's all crumbled and stuff. There's also a fissure at the junction of Bloch Street and Bachman, and yet another where Finney and Levin meet. I haven't really explored the right side that much…you know, near those two bridges here." He pointed his finger on the map.

As he was listing his observations, Ekaterina was noting them down. Soon, she knew enough to have a clearer picture.

- "First, I guess we should head for Elroy Street and find out if we can access those bridges. That's our best hope of finding an escape." she decided. "But we can't go there directly, so we'll have to travel via the central part of Old Silent Hill".

- "Dude, you're awesome!" he exclaimed.

- "I'd appreciate if you stopped doing that." she said, her annoyance surfacing from the disguise.

- "Doing what?"

- "Calling me 'dude'. Do I look like a dude to you?"

- "Hey, don't take it personal! Everyone is my dude! At least, everyone I like. Those I don't like, I call assholes. As long as you're my dude, it means I respect you! Just chill out."

Ekaterina rolled her eyes. Yet as lighthearted as the conversation was, her mind was mostly focused on what was to come. She'd have to come out of the safe hideout. She'd have to come back on those streets again. Those things would be waiting for her, hidden in the fog, waiting for the right moment to strike. And that thought alone terrified her to the very bottom of her soul…


	7. Blackmail

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 7 : Blackmail

The fog still ran thick outside the school. A cold breeze glided through the air, making the shrubs and trees tremble in a disturbing manner. Ekaterina and Sam walked down the paved way, closely inspecting the hedgerows to make sure no one was ambushing them. On the inside, Ekaterina was a nervous wreck. On the outside, she tried to maintain a cool posture and a calm disposition. Sam faired much better, advancing confidently with a hint of arrogance in his eyes.

They arrived at Midwich Street. Crossing the sidewalk, they passed by a yellow schoolbus stationed by the road side. Its windows were all dirty, casting a veil on the interior. The vehicule's tires were deflated. A trail of blood was sprayed on its flank, decorating the metallic surface. To Ekaterina, it looked like the most uninviting place on earth.

Suddenly, she perceived a flash of through one of the dirty windows. Looking closely, she realized it was the reflection of sunlight.

- "There's something inside the bus!" she yelled to Sam.

- "What?" he said, turning his head. "Hey, you're right! There IS something in here! It's not one of the fuglies, I think…it looks more like some kind of object. Should we check it out?" There was a trifle of hesitation in the young man's voice as he uttered the last question.

Ekaterina didn't answer immediatly. She was in a dilemma. Her logic dictated that they were low on provisions and should grab anything that might be useful. Her guts dictated to screw it.

- "Y…yeah, good idea." she answered, letting her cerebral side win over. The need to survive had prevailed in spite of the fear. Or perhaps because of it?

They walked back to the bus sliding door, which was partially opened. Pushing it aside, they climbed up the entrance steps. The interior was obscure. The air was damp. It felt tight, almost claustrophobic inside. The ceiling was just a few centimeters above their heads. The driver seat was empty, they keys still in the contact. On each side of a small aisle stood twin rows of passenger seats. The fabric was dirty and bruised, as if someone had lacerated it on purpose. From their perspective, it was impossible to see what lied behind the seats. Each of them could be a potential hiding place for the creatures. Ekaterina gulped.

- "You go first." she hereby declared to Sam, more of an order than a proposition.

- "Huh? Why me?" he interjected.

- "You're the man with the gun. You should go first. What, would you prefer if I went head-to-head with those beasts and get myself killed?"

- "No, that's not…ah, alright, you win. Just stay behind and watch my back, okay?"

Sam started walking down the aisle. Careful steps, gun aiming wherever he looked, quickly inspecting each seat before he moved forward. On the last bench at the end of the bus, the shape of an object was beggining to appear. It was white and rectangular. Maybe some kind of wallet? Not letting his guards down, Sam kept walking ahead, his finger on the trigger. Ekaterina was following him close behind, looking over his shoulder. She tightly held the handle of her meat cleaver, ready to strike if she must. The further they went, the more they noticed a putrid smell floating around.

Suddenly, as they reached the second-to-last seats, a disfigured monster rose up like a jack-in-the-box. Its non-eyes were fixed on Sam. It was holding a switchblade, the sharp metal rearing its head. Sam was quick to react. He pulled the trigger…

Click! Click! Click! The pistol was empty. Out of ammo.

The creature swinged its arm, aiming for the throat. He was able to back off just in time, the blade almost grazing his skin. He stumbled back on Ekaterina. His back against her front, she put her hands around him to prevent his fall. She almost lost balance herself. Their heartbeats were going wild in unison.

Before them, the monster quickly tiptoed in their direction. It lifted its hand to strike again. In despair, Sammy literally threw himself at the creature, tackling it. Up close, the monster's rotten odor was unbearable. He and the beast fell back to the end of the bus. The thing's head went slamming through the back window in a loud explosion of glass.

The creature was now slumped over, hanging halfway outside the bus. Blood was rushing down from its neck. In a sick display of karma, the glass had slashed open the monster's throat. Disgusted, Sam distanced himself from the corpse. His clothes were stained with blood. He heard Ekaterina's voice behind his back.

- "Is it dead?" she asked.

- "Yeah…I think it is." he responded, trying to regain his breath. "Holy crap, that was close!"

Looking away, he gazed down at the last seat of the bus, at the object they had been looking for. It was a white plastic box with a red cross painted on it. A first aid kit. He turned to look at Ekaterina.

- "Dude, I can't believe I risked my life for a bunch of bandages and disinfectant!" he pouted.

- "Well, at least it will come in handy. We are in dire need of supplies."

- "…Says the girl who's been standing back the whole time." he replied. "And what's more, we're out of ammo! Dammit!"

He walked to the last seat to pick up the first aid kit. The monster's corpse stunk of blood and dead fish. Sam noticed that its switchblade had fell down on the floor. He crouched to pick it up. It looked like a perfectly normal switchblade, but it felt weird to hold a weapon which, until recently, had been the property of a nightmare creature. He could feel the uncleanness on his fingers.

- "Guess I'll have to fight with this." he stated, grimacing.

- "Not only do we lack supplies, but we're running low on weapons as well." she declared, still trying to act cold. "We'll need to be on the lookout on our way from here. Grab anything you can use."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

They hurried out of the schoolbus. It felt soothing to escape the tight confines, but the street appeared as menacing as ever. As they left the vehicule behind, it was quickly engulfed by the fog, devouring it from view.

They walked north on the dirty road. Soon, they reached the first carrefour, where Bloch Street began. They turned in that direction, hogging the pavement. The very first building on the corner was a store, slightly more modern in style than is usually the case in this town. Large glass windows covered most of its facade. The sign above read "Lightning Co." next to a lightbulb logo. The lights were off; looking through the windows, one could could only make out the vague shapes of lamps and boxes inside. There could be useful items among here. Then again, it would make a deluxe hiding place for creeps of all persuasions. To go or not to go…Ekaterina was persistently looking at the shop. She was scared, but she felt they didn't have the choice. It didn't take long for Sam to read her mind.

- "You want to go in there? Why for?" he asked, looking at her with uncertainty.

- "I already told you, we must look around for supplies. In other words : we'll search the shops."

- "Dude, is this really necessary? It will only slow us down! We'll never get there if we keep stopping at every friggin' corner. And you know what? I don't wanna risk getting a two-piece neck again just to grab some bundle of crap. C'mon, let's skip that place…"

- "We have no choice. We can't face up to those monsters if we're empty-handed. Follow me."

Ekaterina began to walk toward the entrance. Sammy was standing motionless, unsure of what to do. As she opened one of the large glass doors, she turned around and looked at him with pleading eyes.

- "Sammy, please don't abandon me like that! I need your help! You'd let a defenseless woman wander alone in such a dangerous place?"

- "No, that's not what I…okay, fine! You win! But you owe me one, you know that?" he sighed as he headed for the doors.

Their eyes adjusted to the darkness, so they observed the surroundings. The shop consisted of only one room. The walls were covered with shelves, which were themselves packed with all sorts of items. Boxes of lightbulbs. Electric cables. Flashlights. Night lights. Table lamps of all shapes and styles, ranging from traditional to exotic. Long neon tubes. Multicolored halogen gizmos. The rest of the room was crowded with rows of tall lamps, the kind you put in living rooms. They stood directly on the floor, close to each other, offering very little space for the customers to walk around. A garden of electric flowers.

As they made their way inside, Ekaterina slowed down the pace of her walking, letting Sam go up front and take the lead, just like in the bus. They moved through the lines of unplugged devices, their eyes not detecting any unknown presence. The place seemed empty.

Then, without warning, one of the tall lamps suddenly lit up at the back of the room, covering the whole store in an yellowish haze. They both jumped. Had someone turned on that lamp? Yet the light clearly revealed that they were alone. There was no sign of those creatures, or of anyone else…

Slowly, their hearts beating in anticipation, they closed in on the source of the glow. It was a fairly nondescript piece of furniture, with a straight metal stem and a cylindrical lampshade. It was unplugged like the rest, but the bulb was flaring bright. There was something on the floor, right beside its base. An envelope?

Arriving first, Sammy reached down, taking hold of the paper vessel. There was some bloodstains on the cover. Written in black ink, the inscription read : "To Mrs. Korovin". It was addressed to her name. Dumbfounded, Sammy handed it to her. She ripped it open. She found many documents inside. Three color photos and a letter. To her horror, she recognised herself on those pictures. Scenes from her memory.

The first photo showed a 12 years old Ekaterina. Back in her younger days. She was wearing a light blue peasant-style dress. She was smiling. Those big eyes of hers shone with glee. She looked so content. So carefree. The backdrop was a small village, with rural houses and people strolling around.

On the second picture, Ekaterina was 16. She was down to her underwear. Even though the picture was stale, you could almost feel her trembling, tensing in fear. She was looking directly at the camera. An empty stare. Cold, lifeless eyes. The eyes of someone who see no future. The eyes of someone who lost faith in life. Her left arm was wrapped around a long, stick-like object. A dancing pole. The backdrop was a badly-lit room wrapped in red curtains. A strip club.

The last picture revealed a 23 years old Ekaterina. Her contemporary adult self. She was wearing her current outfit, black vest and skirt with a white shirt underneat. She was crying, her head bowed down. She was sitting on a chair. Handcuffs on her hands. Berore her, a wide metal table. Behind her, a one-way mirror. A police interrogation room.

The first two photos were events from Ekaterina's past. She remembered them. The third one, however, she had no clue. She had never been caught by the cops. It was impossible for this photo to exist. Where did it come from?

A letter accompanied the photos. The message on it was not written – it was glued in newspaper cut-outs. Like in a bad crime flick.

"Dear Mrs. Korovin, I am in possession of those images and many more compromising pictures. They could easily fall into the wrong hands. If you know what's good for you, meet me at the police station. Come alone. My best regards."

- "What…the hell?" spoke Sam, in disbelief.

And she could do nothing but agree….


	8. Everywhere

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 8 : Everywhere

- "Dude, that was….you know…that was you on those pictures, right?"

The pair was now outside, standing near the doors of the lamp shop. Ekaterina was facing away from Sammy as he inquired. She thought this position would make her look more calm and collected, but in reality, it only disclosed how much she was trying to hide her face.

- "It wasn't me." she lied.

- "What?….but the letter was addressed to you and…"

- "No, the girl on those pictures was not me. I have no idea who she is, or why they sent me her photos." she cut him off, starting to become seriously annoyed by his nosy behavior.

- "You sure? She looked so much like you. The resemblance was striking."

- "I'm absolutely certain. It can't be me. I don't remember any of those places. In fact, I've never been to a strip joint – or to a police station, for that matter."

- "Then who is she? What does it have to do with us?"

Regaining her composure, Ekaterina slowly turned around. She was wearing her generic fake smile, which appeared a bit out of place given the circumstances. Sammy's face transpired with doubt.

- "I'm as clueless as you are." she said.

- "Argh! It just doesn't make sense!"

- "NOTHING here makes sense." she stated, putting great emphasis on the word. "The monsters, the fissures, the fog, those messages, that unplugged lamp just now…this entire town makes no sense at all."

- "Dammit, I can't understand a thing! Just what the hell is going on?"

- "There's no use worrying about that. We must focus on getting out of this place. Let's go." she declared.

They both moved away from where they stood. Walking further east, they came up to a building fronted by a stone porch. Ekaterina recognized the structure : it was the antique-looking pastry shop she had sighted while first driving through Silent Hill. Its rocky facade was peppered with posters and publicity, but didn't leave any place for a window. Was it not for the modest door found in its center, one could mistake it for some sort of palisade.

Ekaterina went straight to that door. She turned the handle…to no effect. For some reason, the doorknob seemed to be broken. She tried pushing the door more forcefully, but it didn't move. It was stuck like a concrete wall. She knocked at the entrance, her fist hitting a hollow sound on the wood. No response. Nothing happened. Oh well…

They moved to the next store. That retro souvenir shop from earlier, with large awnings towering over its windows. The construction had looked charming back then; now its dated architecture only made the setting more sinister. The lights were off inside. Sammy walked up to the door and turned the doorknob. It was loose. Broken. Useless. It didn't even bulge. Like some sort of bogus door in a studio backdrop. This was strange, not any less – or any more – strange than everything about Silent Hill. Instead of looking for an explanation, they just gave up and moved away.

They arrived at a crossroad. The vertical path was Levin Street. They decided to go north and follow it. Levin Street was one of those all-residential avenues that Ekaterina found so unnerving. However, from where they stood, in the middle of the road, the houses were entirely out of sight; one could see nothing but fog and asphalt on every horizon. Ekaterina was holding a pocket flashlight she had picked up inside Lightning Co., the lamp shop. She turned it on, hoping the light would penetrate the fog and broaden their field of vision. No luck. It just bounced off the cloudy mass, making it seem even blurrier. She sighed and turned it off.

Suddenly, a human-like male voice resounded up ahead. It kept growing louder and louder, as if it was approaching. Sam stood idle, his hand firmly on his blade, ready to strike. Ekaterina jumped and instinctively stepped back. The voice kept blabering on and on.

Then a second voice came howling from behind them. Ekaterina nervously turned around. Her eyes didn't perceive any movement through the fog. It was so thick that she couldn't see a thing beyond the curtain. She was panicking. She didn't know whether to go forward or step back, whether to stand still or to run away. She started looking in all directions, but there was nothing to see.

A third voice unveiled itself, this time on their left. And then a fourth one, on their right. Or did it come from behind them? Or did it come from up ahead? With so much noise going about simultaneously, she had trouble distinguishing the origin of each sound. It's like they were circling her, revolving around her like some sort of twisted carousel. She was starting to feel dizzy. She put her hands over her ears. Bury the noise.

She felt relatively peaceful inside her head. The noise was now very weak, thinned out. Just a strident little whisper. She looked over to Sammy. He was facing her. He was shouting at her. She couldn't hear a word. She didn't want to hear a word. She kept her palms closed on hear ears, in silent lucidity.

From above Sammy's shoulder, she saw a figure emerge out of the fog. She recognised its shape and its walk. It. One of those creatures. It was tiptoeing behind Sammy's back, heading for him at a furious pace. Ekaterina removed a hand from her ear, raised it to point at the creature, and screamed at the top of her lungs.

By the time startled Sam turned around, the monster was nearly on them. It had raised its arms in their direction, making its intentions very clear. Sam reacted on the spot. In a second, he took Ekaterina by the hand and they both ran away, dodging the creature's grasp by less than a metre.

They fled north. They reached another crossroad. The street sign identified the perpendicular road as Matheson Street. Wasting no time, they turned right and continued in that direction. On the corner was a dirty-looking building with few windows and plain brown walls. Acording to a poster, the name of the shop was "Julio's Auto Parts". Quicly, they ran to its rusty door. The handle was stuck. Another broken door.

They ran further east. Ekaterina kept glancing behind her. She saw nothing but mist. It seemed like the creature hadn't followed them. Soon, they arrived at another store. It was made out of wood, but the overall look of the structure was more cozy than shabby. The name read "Horned Moon Dance". The residents of Silent Hill, whoever or whatever they were, and whether or not they existed in the first place, sure had a lot of imagination when it came to naming shops.

Sam turned the doorknob. Surprisingly, it worked. As soon as the door came open, they were greeted with a greyish, mutilated face. The beast stood just in the doorway. The smell was nauseating. The cavities of its ugly head glared at them. It extended its arms forward. Sammy immediatly closed the door. It snapped shut on the monster's hand, which blocked the way. Its fingers still crept out of the small opening, making a breach. The fingers were gripping the frame tightly and kept it ajar. Ekaterina and Sam both knew that the monster would leap out at them the moment it could open the door. Sam pushed with all the force he could muster. The wood was digging deep into the skin. Yet the monster still kept its grip. The door opened a few inches.

Ekaterina considered running away, leaving Sam to the monster. However, she was too scared to be alone again. She had no choice. She took hold of her meat cleaver. Disgusted, she put it on the breach and started sawing off the monster's fingers. The blade sank easily, not meeting any resistance. Blood was spraying all over the frame. One amputated finger fell down the floor. Then another. The creature let out deafening car engine noises, which may or may not be screams of pain. When all the long extremities had been cut off, the door instantly closed shut. Behind the wood, they heard the creature falling down. It was now or never. They ran away, hoping the other monsters hadn't been catching up to them while they were busy with the morbid surgery.

The fled across the street. Silence reigned and there was still nothing to sight. They passed by several buildings, stores and apartment blocks. They arrived near an open yard. It was surrounded by a chain link fence. Behind the barrier stood vague outline of something…trees, perhaps? She wasn't sure. The door in the fence was gaping, like someone had just come out of the enclosed space.

As they came up in front of that door, they heard a faint human-like voice coming from the other side of the street. Surprised, they turned their heads in that direction. It only took a moment. As Ekaterina was staring in the opposite direction, a disfigured monster came tiptoeing from the yard. Its hands grasped her shoulders from behind. Ekaterina yelled, alerting Sammy. Before he could react, the creature was dragging the woman back into the yard. They both disappeared from view.

Sam came running after her. He reached the back of the yard. Ekaterina was standing against the wall of an adjacent building. Around her neck, the hands of the beast, who was facing her. She was being strangled. As Sam reached them, the agressor turned its head toward him, not letting go of the prey. Sam quickly swinged his switchblade at the horror's head. He stabbed it repeatedly, the blade slipping in unhindered by any skull. The monster released its grip and fell down with a gurgling sound.

- "Dude, you're alright? Thank god!" said Sam, feeling profoundly relieved.

Ekaterina couldn't answer. She was coughing, trying to regain her breath. This was the second time her neck had been squeezed. She felt like her throat was going to burst.

Sammy turned around to look behind. There was another monster approaching, tiptoeing in their direction. However, as soon as fell under Sammy's stare, the monster instantly began to retreat. It walked backwards, in a sort of messed-up moonwalk. The fog finally engulfed it again.

They were alone now…


	9. Nowhere

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 9 : Nowhere

- "Keep your eyes open. There might be more of them." she warned.

Ekaterina and Sam were walking in a sort of formation. He was in front, weapon in hand, leading the way and scanning the distance. Meanwhile, she was trailing behind, her head turned back, her eyes fixed to the rear, making sure no one was following them. It wasn't an intentional formation; they just adopted this position by instinct, as a result of their respective personality.

Wading through the mist, they saw the contour of a structure appear before them. It was a rectangular shop of rather large dimensions. Its walls were coated with a yellow plate fabric which, at first glance, made the building look more like an overgrown toy cube than a real store. Wide urban windows surrounded both sides of its facade. A sign was fixed right next to the door, reading "Queen Burger" in brilliantly colored letters, accompanied by a funny-looking hamburger logo. Most of the shops in Silent Hill were local mom and pop businesses, but this particular one looked rather like a fast food franchise.

As they made their way inside, they found out that the interior was bright and well-lit. The walls and ceiling were painted white, while the floor carried on the yellowish taint of the facade. Tables occupied most of the space. The ones in the center of the room were bordered by white benches; the ones sitting near the windows were paired with simple chairs. A decorative plant stood amongst them, somewhere in the middle. Further back was a counter and a cash register. Above, the menu display, in vivid orange. The place seemed empty.

- "Looks all clear." he affirmed.

- "Don't let your guard down. They could be hiding anywhere." she replied.

- "Yeah, you're right. Dude, those fuglies are getting nastier by the minute! They were acting way less agressive before I met you. Now they're all over us! Crazy like a fox!" he pestered.

They began to search the place. They slowly advanced through the aisles, checking all around. There was some garbage lying on the floor, plastic bottles and brown paper bags, with some napkins thrown in for good measure. They kicked the junk as they passed by.

One of the tables was occupied by a food plate. With dishes, cheap forks and knives. And lots of ketchup…no, not ketchup. Blood. The hamburger was dripping with warm blood. It poured out from under the bread like some kind of condiment. The french fries were soaked with hemoglobine instead of sauce. The salad was dressed in red vinaigrette as well.

- "What the hell? This is like some kind of bad joke!" yelled Sam.

Right beside the plate, there was some more bloodstains. Letters. Written on the table was this inscription : "PARIAH".

- "Huh? Wa…wait…is this…addressed to me?" he said, thinking out loud.

Ekaterina gave him a curious glance. She didn't say a word, just noting his reaction. They kept moving forward. They searched the other corners. They looked under the tables. Behind the benches. Nada. Nothing hiding in this room. It seemed they were safe.

- "What's up with those messages? Who's writing that crap?" he asked to Ekaterina, as if she knew the answer.

- "Those monsters, don't they seem somewhat…intelligent? They use human weapons. They are cunning. They use tricks to lure us in. Perhaps they are the ones who wrote this?" she proposed, almost convincing herself that there was logic behind the events in Silent Hill.

- "You mean, they want to chat with us? Why? Is this another one of their traps?"

She didn't respond, as clueless as him about the matter. She didn't know what to think. So she stopped thinking and resumed searching. She went to look behind the counter. There was a soft drink machine. A stack of plastic glasses. Some publicity flyers scattered around. Nothing useful. She opened the cash register. There was no money in the drawer. Instead, she found a little red box. Upon closer inspection, a box of 9mm bullets.

- "Sam! Come here! I found some ammunition!"

- "What, for real? Hell yeah! About damn time!"

She handed the box to a smiling Sammy. He gleefully whipped out his pistol, then proceeded to reload it. Trying to strike a stylish pose, he aimed the gun at various objects in the room.

- "Haha! Now we're talking! This is more like it! Armed and dangerous!"

His confidence renewed, he headed for the door behind the counter, leading to the kitchen. Ekaterina continued searching the counter. She didn't find anything of interest. There was a short moment of silence. Then Sammy began yelling.

- "Oh my god! Dude, this is totally gross!"

Ekaterina jumped. Her heart was beating fast. Prepared for the worst, she walked through the staff door, following the boy's trail. After crossing a small corridor, she arrived at the kitchen. She put her hand to her mouth, stifling a scream.

Blood was everywhere. All over the walls. On the oven. In the sink. On everything. Along with body parts. Guts lying on the floor. Bones scattered around. An empty human torso, gutted like a piece of dead meat. On the kitchen table, next to a knife, there was a lower jaw. Half of it had been stripped to the bone. The gingiva had been cut off and sliced into neat little strands of meat. The teeth had also been removed; they were amassed in a little pile right beside the severed member. An arm was hanging out of the deep fryer.

On the fridge, there was another bloody handwriting. "EAT THEM BEFORE THEY EAT YOU".

- "Now THIS is messed up! Man, what kind of sick puppy would do stuff like that? Did we stumble on Mrs. Lovett's restaurant or something?" he winced.

Ekaterina couldn't respond. She was in shock. She just stared at the inscription, unable to make a move.

- "Okay, now this is becoming way too creepy. Let's get the hell outta here!" said Sammy, in obvious disgust.

He hurried back to the front of the restaurant. She didn't follow him; she was still in a state of stupor, not unlike the one she had experienced when she first met those disfigured creatures. Fortunately, it only took a few seconds for her to snap out of the trance. The last thing she wanted being to stay in that room, she turned around and ran, catching up to her companion.

- "Sam, wait for me! I'm…"

Her sentence trailed off when she realized that Sammy was no nowhere to be seen. The place was empty. And silent. Her stare began searching all over the shop. From one side to the next. Between each and every table, on all the seats. Nothing. She didn't spot him anywhere. Had he already left the building?

She stepped outside. Her eyes explored the fog. She looked in every direction. Still no sign of Sammy. She began yelling, calling out to him. No response. She was perplexed. Then she saw something lying on the pavement…a gun. Sammy's pistol. It was lying there on the ground, still loaded…

Gone. Without a trace.


	10. Dial

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 10 : Dial

The worst had happened. She was all alone now. Ekaterina was pacing down Elroy Street in careful, trembling steps… no one at her side. In her hands, the boy's 9mm pistol, her sole token of consolation.

Where had Sammy gone? Had he ran away on his own, leaving her behind? He was a male, when all is said and done. However, it just didn't make sense. If Sam really turned tail, he wouldn't have jettisoned his precious weapon. He knew how dangerous it was out there. The kid was dense, but not THAT dense. Someone must have tore the gun away from him. The creatures, most likely. For all she knew, Sam was dead. A monster had come and slit his throat. Or maybe it was strangling him in some back alley, at this very moment.

She regretted his presence. Sure, he was annoying. He talked too much and asked too many questions. He knew too much. He had even seen her photos. Shouldn't she be glad of his demise? And yet, since Sam disappeared, she couldn't help but feel…vulnerable. Helpless. No more knight in shining armor to protect her. Would she find another man in this sordid town, or was she condemned to isolation? Could she make it out on her own? Her weakness was showing plain as day now, but no one was around to see.

Her mind was playing tricks on her. The fog no longer seemed a flat veil; her eyes perceived textures and shapes on its surface. Terrifying shapes. She spotted the silhouettes of monsters emerging from the haze, just to see them dissipate a mere second later. She was bracing herself, but this series of false alarms always kept her on the edge. After seeing those monsters up close so many times, she thought she'd become immunized to their ugliness, to the horror they inspired. Then how come she dreaded their return to the point of insanity?

Deep down inside, she started to pray. An insincere prayer, but a prayer nonetheless. She was betraying her resolution once more. She didn't believe in God, but she desperately needed to hold onto something. Anything. Her heart opened itself to those fairytales, seeking the courage to continue. But faith without sincerity is like a pen without ink. She couldn't find solace in words if they had no meaning. This realization only made the fear grow stronger.

Ekaterina slipped a hand down her pockets. She still carried her lighter and a pack of cigarettes. Her hands were shaking as she inserted one in her mouth. Taking hold of the lighter, she ignited the other end. She felt the pressure diminish a little.

On her left, a new route was opening up. A bridge. A drawbridge, judging from the control tower that spired from its side. The structure was down, allowing passage. It was reinforced by concrete and looked quite sturdy. The road it encompassed was as wide as Bloch Street itself. Ekaterina started walking down this path.

There was an object lying in the middle of the bridge. It was rectangular and metallic, like some kind of tiny box. As she approached, she realized it was a cellphone. She reached down and took the device in her hands. It wasn't exactly a brand new model, and there was some dirt stuck between the buttons. For some reason, she couldn't switch it on at all. Maybe it was out of batteries? Or simply broken? It looked pretty useless. Disappointed, she flipped off the cover.

Immediatly after, the mobile phone began to ring. Ekaterina recoiled in surprise; her cigarette fell down from her lips and extinguished itself on the sole of her shoe. How could it be? The damn thing was turned off. After a short period of hesitation, she flipped the cover and put it on her ear. She recognized Sam's voice on the end of the line.

- "This is more like it! Armed and dangerous!" spoke the voice.

- "Sam, is that you?" asked a flabbergasted Ekaterina.

The reception was terrible. The signal was interspersed with static noise, and the volume of the call was unstable, randomly increasing and decreasing.

- "They mess with your head…bzzzzttt…and then when you've got your….kkkrrrttt…IT'S IN MY BLOOD!!! IT'S IN MY BLOOOOOO…ttrrzzzz"

- "Do you hear me, Sam?" she asked once more.

- "I'M A PARIAH!! I'M A MONSTER!!! I'M…crrrtttt…I can be such a klutz sometimes. Hahaha!"

- "Sam…?"

- "I was like a stain on the portrait…portrait…portrait…portrait…zzztttt…I still remember the look in my mother's eyes…ccrrrr…everytime she looked at me, she saw…pppzzzz…I NEVER HAD CHANCE! DOOMED RIGHT FROM THE START!!!…hhkkzzz…you can call me Sam…bbbrrrtttt…the hell? This is like some kind of bad joke…zzztttt…dad loved me for all those years…rrrtttt…and then all of a sudden I'm a stranger?…kkkrrrrttt…Y'know what? Life totally sucks sometimes."

Ekaterina didn't even bother to call his name anymore. She was speechless.

- "Those I don't like, I call…tttrrrrzz…ASSHOLE!! I WAS BORN AN ASSHOLE!!!…zzrrrr…dude, you sure you're alright?…alright?…alright?…so I ran away."

And on that note, the conversation suddenly cut off. Ekaterina stared at the phone with eyes open wide…


	11. Under Law

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 11 : Under Law

The police station stood out quite a bit amongst the other buildings of Silent Hill. It was a tall edifice, maybe two or three stories high; the fog made sure you couldn't clearly tell. Its entire facade was comprised solely of huge widows, each as large and tall as the station's front doors, reaching down to ground level. On the other side of the glass, equally huge window shades stood in various degrees of unfoldment : some were totally shut, covering the bays in an opaque white surface; others were open or partially open, letting the light flow through. A badge-like icon was displayed just above the entrance. Several police cars were parked by the road, surrounding both sides of the structure.

Ekaterina was standing before the entrance. She would meet her extorter there. Just as requested. Alone. Stepping forward, she pushed the gates open.

The room was luminous, thanks to the tall windows that framed the front doors. The floor was made of black and white tiles, showing a kind of chess board motive. The bottom half of the walls was panelled with intricate boiserie; the top half was decorated by green wallpaper. It gave the place a classy vibe. In front of her was a reception counter; behind, one could see a bigger adjacent room. On her right, there was a cushioned bench settled along the wall. Next to it stood a simple door. There was also a door on the left side of the room.

Ekaterina walked up to the counter. It was empty, except for a colorful pleated sheet . Unfolding the document, she realised it was a map of the police station.

She was currently in the Reception. The room to her left was the Records Bureau; the one to her right was a Waiting Room. Both led to the space behind the counter, called the Lobby. Above it was the Main Office, which itself was connected to many other areas : Dispatch Center, Detail Office, Locker Room, Lounge, Storage, Watchman Office, Staircase…the map also covered the second floor of the building, as well as the basement.

Ekaterina, in absence of concrete directions, decided to head for the left door. The Records Bureau was a smaller room, and a fairly crowded one at that. Most of the space was occupied by two desks : the first one, right in front of her, housed an old-school touch tone telephone, with the oversized receiver and all. There was a couple of written memos, and what seemed to be a list of phone numbers. Nothing useful. The second desk, standing near the windows, was piled up with books and manuals of all kinds, scattered around in an untidy way. But what caught Ekaterina's attention was the east side of the Bureau.

There was a wide chalkboard covering most of the wall. The black panel was clouded with blurry chalkmarks, as if someone had unceremoniously erased the previous message. A new inscription was written on top of the mess :

"I am waiting for you in the Interrogation Room. Don't squeal to the cops. Don't fool around. Do as you are told."

Another missive from the blackmailer. She had no idea who, or why, or how. It made no sense, just like the rest. Her mind was confused and conflicted. The temptation to screw it and concentrate on escaping the town was very strong. On the other hand, her logical self, which had yet to surrender, suggested not to take such matters lightly. Blackmail is serious business. Heck, she was well placed to know that! She couldn't ignore a threat, no matter how silly it appeared. She had to get to the bottom of this mystery. Checking on the map, she noted the Interrogation Room, located on the second floor of the station. She marked it with her pencil. Finally, she departed the Bureau by its northern door.

She now stood in the area behind the reception counter. The place was cut off by a large pair of folding screens, extending from one wall to the next. There was an opening between the two screens, forming a passage to the other side of the room. As Ekaterina walked forward, she stepped into something. Looking down, she saw water. There were puddles all over the floor. A wet trail traversed through the passage, reaching beyond the folding screens. Gun in hand, Ekaterina moved behind the panels.

The Lobby was a large, mostly vacant space. The walls were coated with the same half-boiserie, half-wallpaper ornament that seemed to decorate the entire building. The floor here was also wet, small pools spreading randomly over the polished tiles. A strange odor was hovering…a moist, humid scent. One of the decorative plants had been knocked over; the soil of its container was scattered around, turning into mud. Two doors faced each other on the left and right sides of the room, leading to the washrooms, one for each gender. Turning right, Ekaterina headed for the women's bathroom.

It was dimly lit inside, the only sunrays coming from a tiny bay in the back. All the stalls were closed, as if occupied. Strangely, this place seemed dryer than the rest ; no liquid was flowing from under the cabinets. The unpleasant moist smell was still hanging around, though. Ekaterina opened the sink. Bowing down her head, she splashed cold water against her face. She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin was pale, almost white. She had bloodshot eyes. Her hair was in disarray. Her body was wrecked with nervous spasms. She was in a pityful state. Waiting no longer, she walked out of the bathroom. Back to the Lobby, she opened the twin doors that stood at the top of the room.

The Main Office was another large area. The west-side wall was fully occupied by those tall windows, the kind that surrounded the building's facade. Only a few of the window shades were open; as a result, the room was unequally lit. Some parts of the office were bright and visible, other corners were shrouded in darkness. The place was filled with rows of desks. The cops' desks. They weren't seperated by cubicles; they just stood next to each other. They weren't properly aligned either, facing all directions. In fact, the entire room was at sixes and sevens. It was a virtual maze of office furniture and paperwork. Computers, printers, telephones, desk lamps, chairs, boxes, books, ring binders, you name it. Standing on one of the desks was an oscillating fan. The device was turned on, producing a very loud noise. It was moving around in a semi-circular pattern, flinging air across the room.

With trembling and hesitant steps, Ekaterina began to move through the furniture. She aimed her weapon in every direction, constantly turning around in a paranoid manner. She had trouble keeping her mind focused; her attention kept swaying toward the electric fan. The device's grating sound and repetitive movement made the environment even more disturbing than it already was. Walking further, she stumbled upon a box of ammo lying on a desk. 9mm ammo. Reaching out with shaking fingers, she grabbed the box and stuffed it in her pocket.

Arriving at the back of the office, she tried to open the northern doors. No luck. It didn't move. However, it simply seemed to be locked, not stuck or broken like the previous ones had been. She turned around.

Huh? What was that? She heard a noise coming from the desks. At least, she thought she heard a noise; it was difficult to tell under the constant grinding of the fan. Nervous and eager to take her leave, Ekaterina quickly travelled to the right side of the Main Office, up to another door. Opening the handle, she was greeted by obscurity.

She had a bad feeling about this…


	12. Lemurians

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 12 : Lemurians

It was pitch-dark inside. She switched on her pocket flashlight. The illuminated cone that sprang from the device revealed a lenghty rectangular room, at least four times as long as it was wide. On both of its side walls, steel lockers were banked together. Most of them were padlocked; all of them were shut close. In its center, the room was divided by a long wooden bench. Lowering her flashlight, she realised that the place was literally flooded. Two inches of water covered the entire floor Her shoes splashed noisily with every step she took. The moist smell was unbearable here, so much she had to hold her breath.

As she moved her circle of light across the Locker Room, she saw…something…lying on the ground, not so far from her.

At first, Ekaterina mistook it for a fish. Indeed, the creature's body resembled that of a salmon : flat, elongated, fusiform, and about the same size as the animal too. It was lying on its side, inert. Its skin was pale and grey, but it didn't bare a scaly texture; the tissue was smooth and stretched. It had visible gills, slits in the neck area. A bony, stiff dorsal fin adorned its back; it also had a tail fin of similar measures. However, the creature had no pectoral fins; it their place stood a pair of tiny arms. Atrophied limbs, with fragile-looking articulations and minuscule fingers, like those of an infant. Little legs also protruded from the back of its body. They were deformed, misshapen; the soles of its feet weren't even remotely flat. These legs were improper for standing up, let alone walking. Even though its face shared the shape of a fish head, it sported very different features. Thick protuding lips, grey in color. Human-like teeth structure, with molars, canines and incisors. No real nose, but two large nostrils just above its mouth. Eyes on each side of its face rather than on the front, but they weren't fish eyes. They were oval in form, topped by furry eyebrows. The iris was white; a black pupil lying idle in the center. The stillborn creature was motionless. Dead.

Ekaterina waved her flashlight around. She found other similar creatures, their corpses scattered all across the inundated floor. The room was a genuine graveyard for those horrors. Ekaterina recoiled in disgust.

As she stepped back, her portable light reflected unto something. At the other side of the room, on the edge of the wooden bench, there was a small metallic object. Because of the distance, she couldn't clearly tell, but it looked like…a key?

Carefully, she began moving through the Locker Room, toward the item. Her feet were wet, the high-heeled shoes filled to the brim with liquid. Passing by the rows of iron doors, she kept glancing at the fish-like corpses, just in case. She arrived at the back of the room. There was indeed a key resting on the bench. It was linked to a simple plastic keychain, labelled "Main Office". Ekaterina took it in her hand.

She was about to walk back to the door, when she suddenly heard a faint sound. A strangled moan, a difficult and painful respiration. The sound of someone gasping for air. Of someone choking in agony. She aimed her flashlight to the ground. One of the fish-like beings had started moving. The pupil of its eye was rolling in circles. Its mouth opened and closed repeatedly, the teeth gnashing. The creature was squirming, jerking on the floor. In its struggle, it began bouncing in place, like a fish out of water. The bouncing slowly became more energic, more desperate. Then without warning, the creature jumped so high it hit the ceiling. When Ekaterina looked around, she saw that all the other beasts showed a similar behavior. They were gasping for air. Gurgles of agony echoed from everywhere. As their jerking motion became more frantic, their jumps were no longer stationary. They now pounced madly in every direction, hopping over the wooden bench, some crashing against the steel lockers.

One of the creatures jumped toward Ekaterina, jaws open wide. It flew right above her head, landing on the wall behind her. The young lady was in a state of utter panic. Her heart was beating like a drum. She had to get out. Now.

She rushed across the room, running for the door. The mutated beasts were leaping all around. Some landed right next to her feet. Just as she was about to reach the exit, one of them pounced on the woman in black. Bull's-eye. Its mouth connected to her leg. The teeth pierced the pantyhose, sinking deep into the skin. She howled in pain.

Frenzied by adrenaline, she took hold of the monster's tiny leg, pulling it away from her. The fish creature released its biting grip. Not letting go of the squirming beast, she swinged it around with all her might, slamming it on the nearest locker. The creature collided with the cold surface in a deafening bang. She kept slamming it over and over again, as fast as she could. A large circle of blood was forming on the point of impact. Swinging it once more, she threw the dead monster across the room. Meanwhile, the other beasts were coming closer, making little bounces in her direction. Her hand reached for the doorknob. She opened the door and quickly shut it behind her. Finally out.

She was in the Main Office now. She fell to the ground. The pain was terrible. Tears streaked down her face. She couldn't help but cry. Moving in a sitting position, she leaned back against the wall. She stared at her wounded leg. A huge bite mark was carved into the flesh. She was bleeding profusely.

She recalled the first aid kit. She still had the box on her. She placed the container on the ground and opened the lid. Taking hold of the disinfectant, she poured it into her wound. The young lady screamed her misery aloud.

As she was bandaging the injury, something rose up from behind a desk, in the middle of the room. It was one of those disfigured humanoids. One of those naked female figures, with jagged holes where its mouth, eyes and nose should be. One of the Sirens. It had come out of its hiding spot. Ekaterina being weak and wounded, the creature figured that she would make an easy prey, so it had no qualm about walking around in the open. Bad decision. As the monster made its way through the furniture, Ekaterina took hold of her pistol and aimed. She fired several shots at the Siren, the bullets perforating its belly. It fell forward, slumping over a desk. Blood drenched the paperwork.

Ekaterina wept some more as she resumed wrapping the bandage. Once it was done, she painfully rose up to her feet. It hurt like hell, but she could still walk. She couldn't afford to stop now.


	13. Genetic

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 13 : Genetic

She unlocked the door north of the Main Office. With a slight creaking sound, it opened on an horizontal corridor. Both ends of the hallway were covered with windows, inducing sufficent brightness. Doors were lined on the wall. Here, the grind of the oscillating fan could still be heard, but it been reduced to a unnerving whisper.

Ekaterina was limping. She dragged her injured leg behind. The wound was still too fresh, burning with pain. She had to decrease her pace, because quick steps gave her the impression of stretching the cuts, of widening them further; a horrible sensation if there ever was one. The bandages were already crimson.

She hobbled toward the first door on her left. The knob turned easily, but on nothing in particular. The door was so stuck you could swear it was part of the wall. Walking with difficulty, she made her way to the next door. Broken too. Nothing to see. She kept going.

The third door, however, behaved like a normal door is expected to. It led to the Dispatch Center. A room of decent size, but almost all of the space was occupied by an enormous black desk. It was shaped like a crescent, the outer arc facing the rear side of the bureau. The console's surface hosted a large quantity of keyboards and old monitors. The units were turned off, some of them even shattered, as if someone had punched through the screens. There were also various telephones and a microphone. A practical jungle of power cords was crawling under the desk. Despite all the hardware and furniture, one single chair was paired with it.

Approaching the console, she sighted another object lying on top of it. It was a police baton. One of those long plastic cylinders loosely inspired by the tonfa, complete with a side-handle. It looked quite sturdy. Lifting the shaft, Ekaterina was surprised by its low weight. It seemed to be a very nimble weapon. Might come in handy. She slipped the baton under the waistband of her skirt, the handle preventing it from falling down.

There was little else of interest in the Dispatch Center, so she moved on to greener pastures. Clutching her wounded leg, which had yet to stop burning, she walked out to the corridor. After making sure the place was still empty, she turned left and continued on to the next door.

The Lounge was exactly as its name implied. A large brown sofa resting against the wall, the recliner spread out in a lazy fashion. Right next to it, a decorative bonsai tree, sheding a strange shadow on the rest of the room. A white plastic table in the center. Coffee cups, filled to the brim, still smoking. Not too far away, the coffeemaker, on a short stand. Apparently, the device had been overflowing, since a pool of brown liquid surrounded it. The dark trail traversed down the stand, finally staining the floor. There was also a microwave oven and some plates. The air seemed a little warmer around here.

As Ekaterina crossed the room, her eyes were fixed on the sofa. For some reason, she feared that there was a Siren hidden behind, waiting for her to pass by. That impression popped up in her head and would not leave. She instinctively felt its presence. She kept her distance from the couch as she walked.

The microwave door flew open behind her. She barely had time to turn around as something leapt out of the cooking chamber, in her direction. The thing flew right past her face, provide her with a quick close-up of its ugliness. It was one of the those small fish-like beasts. However, this one had been horribly burned, its skinned charred, its features scorched to oblivion. And yet, the monster still lived on, as evidenced by its frantic leap. As it landed on the sofa, the fish kept squirming around. A sickening vision.

Ekaterina reacted, whipping out the police baton. The monster began bouncing on its side, as if victim of a seizure. Then, all of a sudden, it leapt back at her at an astonishing speed. Acting on a reflex, the young lady swept the baton in front of her, to block the living projectile. The charred fish hit the shaft at full force. It went hurling to the other side of the Lounge, smearing the wall with blood. Falling to the ground, it stopped moving.

The woman gave herself time to cool off. As her nerves returned to normal, she became aware of the putrid, burnt smell that had taken over the room. She looked over to the corpse of the creature, and a corpse it really was. Inside her mind, Ekaterina made the silent promise never to trust her instincts again.

She hurried out of the Lounge. Back in the corridor, she headed directly for the last door on the east. The one leading to the staircase, according to her map.

Just as her hand was about to make contact with the knob, a loud beeping noise made her jump. A ringtone. Inside of her pocket, the weird cellphone was ringing again. She hesitantly put it to her ear. Once more, she heard Sammy's voice on the line.

- "Huh? Wa…wait…is this…addressed to me?…to me?…to me?…zzzttttt…CRAWLING THROUGH MY VEINS!!!….tttzzzzrrrr…it's genetic."

Ekaterina didn't even bother to reply. The sheer nonsense of those calls was reason enough to stop trying.

- "He's part of me…ccczzzrrr…I'm part of him…ttttzzzz… Man, what kind of sick puppy would do stuff like that?…zzzrrr…it's not like I can blame mom, though. Hell, I'm probably his spitting image! Everytime she sees me, she lives it out again…cccrrrrrzzz…MY GENES! CAN'T ESCAPE! CAN'T ESCAPE!…pppzzzz… It's hard growing up when you know you're bound to disappoint…zzztttt…wait, if he's inside me, does that mean…I'll become like him too?…tttrrrrzzz…Does that mean I'm born evil?…born evil?…born evil?…rrrrzzzzzz…NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOO!!!…Dude, is that you?".

The young woman didn't instantly react. It took her a few seconds to realize that the voice on the line was speaking to her this time.

- "Dude, is it really you? Can you hear me?" he asked once more.

- "Sam…?" the lady questioned, suddenly realizing something was off.

- "Holy crap! Dude, I can't believe it!" he exclaimed, joy running rampant in his voice.

Ekaterina couldn't believe her ears. This wasn't one of those strange, eclectic phone calls. She was truly communicating with him, prim and proper.

- "Sam! Where are you? What the hell happened?" she asked, in suspension of disbelief.

- "Listen, I need your help! They've taken me to…ZZZZRRRRTTTTTT".

The static noise became unbearably loud. She had to take the cellphone away from her ear on the spot. The call had been violently severed. And Ekaterina was more perplexed than ever.


	14. Looking Glass

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 14 : Looking Glass

The stairs were a hassle. Holding unto the ramp, she carefully elevated her foot to the last step, dragging up her body one last time…there she was. Second floor at last. Sighing with relief, she headed for the door.

Somewhere along the climb, the pain had become bearable. It's not that she suffered less, or even that she was used to it; the pain had simply become secondary. Her mind was drawn by everything at once : the potential dangers ahead, the strangeness of the previous call, the trouble of moving up the stairs…she barely had any attention left for her leg wound. The pain was no longer pulsing and focused; it now lingered around like an unpleasant afterthought, lurking behind all the other sensations rather than overshadowing them.

Outside the staircase was another horizontal hallway, much like the one on the first floor. Doors were all around. Standing back against against a wall, she started unfolding her map to get a better idea of her environment. The police station was shaped like an upturned L. She currently stood at the end of the northeast segment. The Interrogation Room was on the opposite side, down south near the bottom of the building. The way leading there was rather straightforward and enclosed by many other locations : Chief's Office, Assistant's Office, Briefing Room, Bathrooms, Press Relations, Detective Bureau, Evidence Storage, Crime Lab, and some more. She folded it back into her suit.

As she began to stroll through the hallway, the young woman felt something cold land on her forehead. Looking up, she saw that large dark stains adorned the ceiling. Water was leaking from there and dripped down regularly. It rained inside.

Nearing the wall, Ekaterina decided to test the first door that crossed her path. She got lucky : it opened, giving access to the Chief's Office. The very moment her eyes fell on that room, she was struck by how clean and tidy it was compared to the rest of the station. Here, everything was in its right place, perfectly ordered, from the expensive-looking wooden desk to the shelves and cabinets that surrounded it. You could tell the chief was a hardened perfectionist. Not a trace of dust around. All surfaces were empty, unencumbered by random crap, except for one single paper sheet left on the desk. The office was sober, desperatly spartan, with scarce decoration except for an old black & white photography of the station itself, mounted on a frame, nailed to the wall. A lush maroon carpet covered the ground.

Ekaterina approached the chief's desk. Her eyes travelled down to the paper. It was a typewrited report, a memo of sorts, filled in by someone in the administrative staff. Below the formalities, it read : "As you requested, Coroner T. McCallum has been promptly discharged from his position. Internal investigation revealed that the stolen body parts were shipped to an unidentified religious group. Whereabouts still unknown. Charges will be held against him if sufficent evidence can be found. Furthermore, there is a possibility that other members of this organisation have infiltrated our staff. We must remain vigilant at all times."

She raised her brows at the report. Clearly this message had been adressed to the chief and not to her. Yet it didn't give her much clues about what was going on. Putting down the paper, she proceeded to open the drawers. Documents perfectly lined up in a straight line, but nothing particularly useful.

She left the office. The hallway was as silent as ever; you could even hear the sound of droplets landing on the floor. Accelerating her pace, she went out to open the other doors. The first few were broken. Not too surprising. One, however, came open.

The Briefing Room was large and tall, obviously fit to accomodate a large number of employees. It was badly lit, the window shades being almost totally shut, letting only a feeble halo of light creep out from their sides. Rows of low-quality metal chairs occupied the place, all facing towards a mobile white screen in the back of the room. In the middle of those chairs stood a slide projector. A real antique device, for sure, a dinosaur that looked straight out of the 60s. She wondered if it still worked.

She didn't get much time to observe this peculiar area. A sudden and very loud bang resonated in her ears. She instantly turned back her head, stress populating her mind once more. The sound indeed came from behind her, but not from inside this room. It originated from farther away, somewhere else down the building. Clutching her firearm, she slowly moved out of the Briefing Room, in direction of the noise.

Advancing in the corridor, she eventually arrived at a junction where it connected with a vertical hallway. She took that path. The wall on her right was adjacent to the facade, so it was solely comprised of those huge, door-sized windows. She would have a great view of the town from here if there wasn't so much freaking fog. Walking further, she saw that one of the windows sported an elaborate circle of little fissures. It was as if something had hit the glass and came just short of shattering it. Was this the source of that noise just now?

As if to answer her question, something suddenly lept forward on the other side of the window, making her jump. It was one of those fish monsters, hurling itself face forward on the glass. A second loud bang pounded around as it crashed against the outer surface, creating another circle of cracks. Wait…she was on the second floor right now. Does that mean the monster was pouncing from the street, all the way up here? Just how high could those things leap, for god's sake?

The monster wanted to reach her. It would jump again, that's certain. At this rate, chances are the third impact would break the glass, allowing it inside. Favoring escape over combat, Ekaterina began to flee down the corridor, as fast as she could muster. She was already a good distance away when she heard the window explode behind her, followed by the choking, agonizing cries of the fish. She didn't look back. Her first reflex was to look for a place to hide. Gazing up ahead, she sighted a door that was lying wide open. No time to ponder. She ran into that room, for the better or worse.

It was the Crime Lab. She didn't need the map to tell her that; just one stare at the room and it was obvious. Scientific equipment galores. Microscopes, syringes, test tubes, wash bottles, sterilised gloves, tissues, as well as more complicated devices which she had little knowledge of, like centrifuges, condensers and incubators. A white lab coat was hanging on a rack. The ceiling beams were on, but they flickered heavily. In the center of the room was a small counter covered by all sorts of glassware, vials and beakers of all shapes and sizes.

Her attention was drawn by a massive flask that towered above the other containers. A cap was blocking its neck. It was filled with a thick, opaque dark-blue substance. The liquid was moving inside the vessel, as if it was in ebullition. Bubbles were forming and popping up. The boiling substance was making curious noises. It almost sounded like…radio static.

Ekaterina leaned down and brought her face closer to the flask. Peering inside, she could make out the shape of something fermenting in the liquid. It was round and full of filaments. It seemed like a ball of hair…no, there was more than just hair. She saw grey skin reveal itself. And there were holes too. It almost looked like…oh no. Ekaterina recoiled in horror.

The severed head of a Siren was floating inside the flask. Its disfigured visage was plainly visible now. Grotesque. A decapitated member immersed in chemicals. Ekaterina wanted to take her eyes away, but they were fixed on the abominable face. She felt disgusted…

…and then she realised there was something wrong.

Strangely, the head didn't really seem to be severed. She could clearly see the creature's neck, in one piece. It continued down, below the bottom of the vessel. Wait…this didn't make sense. If the neck was prolonged beyond the confines of the flask, then that meant the head wasn't inside the glass, but rather…behind?

As Ekaterina rose up to her feet, so did the Siren standing on the other side of the counter. As she screamed aloud, the monster flipped the trigger of its switchblade. She had but a mere second to duck; fortunately, she didn't miss that opportunity. The knife sliced the air right above her head, way too close for comfort, almost giving her an impromptu haircut.

She was kneeling behind the counter. Reaching up, she raised her handgun above the level of the furniture. She pulled the trigger like crazy. She was firing blindly, firing everywhere. Gunshots sprayed all over the room, perforating the walls, making vials explode into a million shards. The lab resembled a battlefield. She kept pulling the trigger until the weapon ringed empty.

As she rose up to her feet once more, she saw the Siren's corpse sprawled on the floor. The entire room was covered in debris and shards. Panic overtaking her mind, the young woman ran out of the lab.


	15. She Lives

Silent Hill : Foreigners

Chapter 15 : She Lives

The door before her bore the tag of "Interrogation". It was made of steel, quite sturdy. Here at last. She couldn't wait to cross this passage. An answer to the madness. The explanation lied behind this door. She recalled the reason why she came here in the first place: the blackmail threat. She would learn who, and why, and how. Shaking with apprehension, her hand reached out for the knob.

Locked. What the hell?

Behind the door, she heard someone whimper. Plaintive and intermittent little sobs of a woman. The voice kept weeping and weeping; such sadness radiated from the sound that even Ekaterina couldn't remain insensible. She felt a chill run down her spine. Was this another trap?

Looking around, Ekaterina noted the presence of another door, right next to the first one. The words "Observation" were inscribed on it. She had nowhere else to go, so she decided to step in.

The room was bathed in a dark bluish hue. It gave the place an aura of mystery. The room was rectangular in shape, about as wide as a hallway. There was nothing in here but a couple of folding chairs, facing the humongous glass that covered most of the left wall. A one-way mirror, but Ekaterina couldn't tell, since she was on the viewer's side. From here, she could peer into the Interrogation Room.

On the other side of the glass, there was a vast metal table. Someone was sitting on the nearest end. She was handcuffed to the chair. This person had her back turned to Ekaterina, and her head bowed down. It was impossible to make out her face. Yet the figure was clearly a female. She had very long, lustrous blond hair that ran down to her lower back. Her skin was fair. She had a golden chain around her neck. She was wearing a beautiful white gown, strapless and sleeveless, commencing at her bust line and descending down to her feet. It almost looked like a wedding dress. She was barefoot, her soles resting on the cold tiles of the floor.

Ekaterina's mind was invaded by memories. Not-so-distant memories. Bad memories. She knew this girl, alright. She knew her very well. She knew exactly who it was, but her brain refused to accept it. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be her. It was easier to play denial.

Ekaterina knocked hard on the mirror, trying to get the other woman's attention. The girl in white didn't react. She kept crying, her feeble sobs coming muffled through the tinted glass. She kept her head down, staring at the table before her. Puzzled, the woman in black tried calling out to her.

- "Hey! I'm here!" she yelled, loud enough for the other girl to hear.

No response. The woman in white still wept. She totally ignored the words uttered behind her back.

- "I came here, just like you told me to. You're the one who sent me those photos, aren't you? Tell me what you want." she continued, increasing the volume of her voice even further.

The blonde replied with yet more sobs. Ekaterina was beginning to lose patience.

- "Hey! I'm talking to you, for christ's sake!"

The girl in white finally reacted. Her crying stopped. She slightly raised up her head. There was a short moment of silence. And then she spoke.

- "They're waiting for you downstairs."

Her voice was high-pitched and broken by tears. Her voice had a thick Ukrainian accent, just like Ekaterina's. A voice she hadn't heard in years.

No! This wasn't real! No way! She had to be hallucinating. Her voice…it couldn't be! How could it be? That girl was dead! Dead and gone! She had seen it with her own eyes!

The woman in white, still facing away from Ekaterina, pointed her finger toward the ground. Looking down, the woman in black saw a set of keys lying on the ground of the Observation Room, right next to her own feet.

The keychain was labelled "Cell Block"…


End file.
